


Back in Business

by Not_You



Series: It's Weird When Shaw Is Nice [11]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Assassination attempts, Ghosts, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Multi, anya is just like her mother, erik is insecure sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-08
Updated: 2012-12-08
Packaged: 2017-11-20 14:37:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/586451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_You/pseuds/Not_You
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So now it's worthwhile to hire assassins again.  Pesky things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back in Business

With a non-bearing son in the house, everything is suddenly fraught with peril. It gets bad enough that they have to hide out in the dank old mountain castle. It's beautiful, but gloomy and scary too, and there's not much to do while they wait for Father to clear things up and make home safe again. It's dark and cold here and all the books have mold, but it's quiet enough for Mother to shape his sculptures with his singing, turning the metal into impossible droplets and waves and fragile filigree. Charles starts teaching David the harp, because he has all the talent for music Anya lacks. His stubby little fingers plink simple tunes now, but he's learning and growing quickly.

Azazel brings them news every now and then, and Anya does her best not to die of boredom before anyone can kill her. The babies help. Pietro is fussy and needs lots of attention, and Wanda is sweet and affectionate and clingy. They love being held, even if Pietro squirms. They don't swaddle him after trying it once and hearing the awful, angry way he screams. David is good at soothing Pietro, but it's really Mother that needs soothing. There's a graveyard out back, with little baby headstones in it. Sometimes David will be out there, laughing and playing like there are other children no one else can see, and Mother always runs out and snatches him back. He's afraid the ghosts will lure David away with him, enticing the soul right out of his little body. Children with madsign are always more susceptible, and Mother would rather die than lose him. Charles feels the same, of course, he's just fairly sure the children know to leave David at home.

"They're not bad little creatures, Erik. And think how long it's been since they've had a new playmate."

"That's just why I'm afraid they'll keep him," Mother grumbles, sitting and sipping tea with Charles for another interminable afternoon.

"I wish I could see the ghosts," Anya mutters, "then I'd have someone to play with, too."

Mother sighs, and beckons Anya over, hugging her. "I know, sweetheart. I hope we can go home soon."

She's allowed to play with the village children at home, because Father says that even if she picks up coarse language that's better than never learning how to act with commoners. She misses them, and hopes Father stems the tide of assassination attempts soon. She misses Father as well, and starts to lose her appetite and sleep poorly. Which turns out to be all to the good, because she wakes up when the man is at her doorway, not beside her bed yet. And she's not even scared so much as _angry_. She waits for him to get closer, hand clenching tight around the dagger under her pillow. Her whole body is humming with tense expectation, and then there's the soft sound of bare feet running down the corridor and the swish of mother's sickle and the soft, sighing sound of a lot of blood leaving very quickly.

"Are you all right, Anya?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Good. Keep your head under the covers until I clean up."

"Yes, Mother. Are Charles and David and the babies all right?"

"They are. This is the last one. I'm glad I was fast enough."

"I was awake, Mother. I have my dagger."

He chuckles. "That's my girl."

There are a few frantic weeks where all of them sleep in the same room and wait endlessly for word from Father, but at long, long last they can go home again. It's autumn, with the wind blowing cold across the fens and all the songbirds leaving, but they're home and back with Father. He's proud to hear of Anya's vigilance, and barely lets any of them out of his sight for the first week, so happy to have them close and safe. He also introduces them to Emma Frost, a dispossessed noble who had been helpful in dealing with their enemies. She's beautiful and dresses all in white with her arms bare. Anya is fascinated, because Lady Frost is from the far south, all the way down and over the horizon where it goes from tropical to cold again. She knows stories and patterns and customs Anya has never heard of, as well as combat magic. She's blonde like Alex was before the Wakanda sun bleached his hair white, too, but still has her pale, pale skin. Alex is light brown in the most recent family portrait, about the same color from sun exposure as his and Darwin's new bride is naturally. Lady Frost is amused to hear that their ward has married out to Wakanda, but Anya isn't sure why.

Anya also isn't sure why Lady Frost seems to make Mother a little nervous. Not until she manages to creep up on them having a quiet argument. Charles is napping with the twins in the adjoining bedroom, so Father and Mother have to quarrel quietly. It's all about mistresses and ulterior motives and honesty and Anya is about to go away or go in to break it up when Mother sniffles, looking shocked at himself. It's strange, because Father actually chuckles, taking Mother into his arms and murmuring reassuringly to him as Anya slips away.


End file.
